Moss Regional administrator says no layoffs planned at hospital

An LSU hospital system leader recently
announced that layoffs in south Louisiana public hospitals have been
halted, but W.O.
Moss Regional Medical Center’s interim administrator said the
hospital isn’t included in layoffs being put on hold and that
no layoffs are planned.

Nearly all of the 1,500 state employee layoffs scheduled for January are being put on hold while university leaders continue
negotiations with private hospitals to take over some of the public hospital’s operations.

The planned layoffs are a result of
$329 million in cuts to the public hospital system imposed by Gov. Bobby
Jindal’s administration.

The Advocate reported that LSU
hospitals leader Frank Opelka sent an email update to state lawmakers
Tuesday, notifying them
that he won’t move forward with civil service approval of the
layoff plans for seven hospitals under the LSU Health Care Services
Division.

Opelka, LSU System executive vice president, told lawmakers that the only layoffs now anticipated involve five workers at
Moss Regional and 42 at Bogalusa Medical Center.

Jimmy Pottorff, interim hospital administrator, said the five layoffs mentioned were probational employees who were let go
eight weeks ago. He said the hospital has no further layoffs planned.

Moss Regional was hit with steep cuts in July when the system stripped the hospital of nearly $11 million — cuts the facility
absorbed by scaling back to 10 beds and terminating 11 employees, and through attrition of services, including eliminating
the dietary program for employees.

The $11 million in cuts included more
than $5.1 million for inpatient services and $1.9 million for clinical
operations. Inpatient
and ICU care were also reduced.

The facility also faced the elimination of 64 positions earlier in the year due to budget slashing.